The electronics industry continues to rely upon advances in technology to realize higher-functioning devices at cost-effective prices. For many communication applications, realizing higher-functioning devices in a cost-effective manner requires the creative use of communications channels. Many technologies have been developed that have enhanced communications. Examples include the Internet, facsimile applications, public switched telephone networks (PSTN), wireless telephones, voicemail systems, email systems, paging systems, conferencing systems, electronic calendars and appointment books, electronic address books, and video-image processing systems that communicate video data simultaneously with voice data over a telephones and the Internet. As the popularity of these technologies increases, so does the need to merge and coordinate these technologies in a manner that is convenient and cost-effective for the user.
The above-mentioned technologies have been developed in a relatively isolated manner. Large-scale integration of multiple communications systems has been costly and difficult to achieve and manage. One difficulty stems from the variety of communications channels and data types used for various applications. For example, telephony signals can now be transmitted by methods and systems including traditional publicly-switched telephone networks (PSTN), Internet telephony service providers (ITSP), packet-based systems, digital wireless systems, analog wireless systems, private branch exchanges (PBX), cable systems, T1 systems, integrated service digital network (ISDN), and digital subscriber line (DSL) systems, to name a few. Many telephone systems, particularly for business applications, offer services including voicemail, facsimile, call forwarding, and other call-controls, but these systems are often costly, difficult to manage, limited in scope, and do not offer integration of various communications methods. In addition to difficulties inherent in coordinating telephony-type communications, the coordination of additional communications, such as text, video, or other data, provides additional challenges.
Widespread acceptance and usage of communication systems and services are largely a function of cost and user convenience. Therefore, widespread acceptance and usage of such technology cannot be forced, even when appropriately addressing the marketing needs and overcoming the exorbitant costs of the mass production equipment.
The scalability of a communications system weighs heavily upon the acceptance of the system. As the face of today's workplace is changing, the ability to provide flexible communications services is becoming increasingly important. Many employees are highly mobile, moving between companies and between jobs within a company. When employees are added, leave or move, the communications systems for those employees must be modified. In addition, many employees work from several locations, such as a base office, home, or a branch office. To accommodate ongoing communications needs, a user-friendly and user-reconfigurable system would be advantageous.
As technology advances, traditional distinctions between communications types, such as video, audio, email, and others are breaking down. Wireless telephones and modems are being adapted for Internet use, and Internet telephony communication applications are becoming more viable and even commonplace. For both unsophisticated and sophisticated users of such communication systems and services, the coordination of various communications methods and systems would be beneficial. In addition, it is important to provide scalable, cost-effective, user-friendly control over the communications networks and over the devices that interface with and configure the networks.